The Spirit in the Church Today - Part 27
I Thessalonians 1:5.
5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
In city after city the Spirit moved in power as Jesus was introduced by Paul's preaching.
Word is important, but word alone was never the full ticket.
Here in Thessalonica also the Gospel came in the Holy Spirit.
That's not just poetic language.
That's Heaven invading Earth.
And the invasion needs to continue in the same way today.
I Thessalonians 5:19-21.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Serious warnings that need to be taken to heart by today's church are first issued in this first century church: 1.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Fire can be put out.
The Spirit does not force Himself on the unwilling.
He is there because someone wants Him to be there.
If enough unbelief, or criticism, or negativity, or strife, or lukewarm content, is present in a group, the fire will be doused.
And 2.
Do not despise prophecies.
Assuming the church in general is flowing in Spirit fire, let not individuals privately or publicly show disdain for what is said or how it is done.
The next verse admonishes honest testing, to be sure, not out of doubt or challenge, but out of desire for the truth to be manifested.
I Timothy 1:18.
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, Timothy is second generation.
Not an original apostle, but considered a part of the apostolic band.
Called by us the "pastor" of a "local church", he was in fact a temporary apostolic-appointed leader assigned until Spirit-filled elders could take the reins of the fledgling assembly.
But though he was not in the "original" group he understood the miraculous.
Prophecies had been made over him, and Timothy is here told to use them to be strong in the battle he must wage.
We gain much of our inspiration from the Scriptures, to be sure, but we also are to receive and use prophecies that encourage us in the work of the Lord.
I Timothy 4:14.
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
Again Paul reminds his son in the faith that he was endowed by the laying on of hands with a particular gift.
Timothy does not just remember the praying event, he remembers what occurred.
There is a difference.
Many of us can remember when people prayed over us.
But how many can remember the sensation of an impartation that took place? It is this living reality that enters from without our own conscious self that I have been discussing in these pages.
We need to know of the very Presence of God that is different from our regular physical and mental sensations.
II Timothy 1:6-7, 14.
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
In keeping with his comments in his first letter, Paul encourages Timothy to stir up what is already there.
Quite often, new impartations are not needed, for the gifts of God are permanent.
Though new gifts are available, we are often called to bring to the front burner some things we have shoved to the back.
Paul also here helps us to identify that which is and which is not of God.
People who are afraid much of the time cannot blame the Spirit of God.
God does not give fear.
But He does give power, love, and a healthy balanced mind.
Anyone deficient in these things is at present operating in the flesh, and needs a filling or re-filling with, and a healing by, the Spirit.
II Timothy 3:15-17.
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
These verses, appearing as they do in the midst of admonitions regarding the Holy Spirit, the laying on of hands, impartation of gifts etc, need to be taken in a different light than what we have come to know in Bible-only circles.
It is true that what is contained in Scripture will thoroughly equip us for all that we need.
It is equally true that prayer, relationship to God, intimacy, and the power and love of the Spirit are entities that the Scripture points us to but does not fulfill in itself.
That is, scholarship, Bible knowledge, memorization of texts, is not sufficient for the man of God unless he further reaches outside the written Word to the Living Word available to all believers in the form of the Spirit.
5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
In city after city the Spirit moved in power as Jesus was introduced by Paul's preaching.
Word is important, but word alone was never the full ticket.
Here in Thessalonica also the Gospel came in the Holy Spirit.
That's not just poetic language.
That's Heaven invading Earth.
And the invasion needs to continue in the same way today.
I Thessalonians 5:19-21.
19 Do not quench the Spirit.
20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Serious warnings that need to be taken to heart by today's church are first issued in this first century church: 1.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Fire can be put out.
The Spirit does not force Himself on the unwilling.
He is there because someone wants Him to be there.
If enough unbelief, or criticism, or negativity, or strife, or lukewarm content, is present in a group, the fire will be doused.
And 2.
Do not despise prophecies.
Assuming the church in general is flowing in Spirit fire, let not individuals privately or publicly show disdain for what is said or how it is done.
The next verse admonishes honest testing, to be sure, not out of doubt or challenge, but out of desire for the truth to be manifested.
I Timothy 1:18.
18 This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, Timothy is second generation.
Not an original apostle, but considered a part of the apostolic band.
Called by us the "pastor" of a "local church", he was in fact a temporary apostolic-appointed leader assigned until Spirit-filled elders could take the reins of the fledgling assembly.
But though he was not in the "original" group he understood the miraculous.
Prophecies had been made over him, and Timothy is here told to use them to be strong in the battle he must wage.
We gain much of our inspiration from the Scriptures, to be sure, but we also are to receive and use prophecies that encourage us in the work of the Lord.
I Timothy 4:14.
14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
Again Paul reminds his son in the faith that he was endowed by the laying on of hands with a particular gift.
Timothy does not just remember the praying event, he remembers what occurred.
There is a difference.
Many of us can remember when people prayed over us.
But how many can remember the sensation of an impartation that took place? It is this living reality that enters from without our own conscious self that I have been discussing in these pages.
We need to know of the very Presence of God that is different from our regular physical and mental sensations.
II Timothy 1:6-7, 14.
6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
14 That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.
In keeping with his comments in his first letter, Paul encourages Timothy to stir up what is already there.
Quite often, new impartations are not needed, for the gifts of God are permanent.
Though new gifts are available, we are often called to bring to the front burner some things we have shoved to the back.
Paul also here helps us to identify that which is and which is not of God.
People who are afraid much of the time cannot blame the Spirit of God.
God does not give fear.
But He does give power, love, and a healthy balanced mind.
Anyone deficient in these things is at present operating in the flesh, and needs a filling or re-filling with, and a healing by, the Spirit.
II Timothy 3:15-17.
15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
These verses, appearing as they do in the midst of admonitions regarding the Holy Spirit, the laying on of hands, impartation of gifts etc, need to be taken in a different light than what we have come to know in Bible-only circles.
It is true that what is contained in Scripture will thoroughly equip us for all that we need.
It is equally true that prayer, relationship to God, intimacy, and the power and love of the Spirit are entities that the Scripture points us to but does not fulfill in itself.
That is, scholarship, Bible knowledge, memorization of texts, is not sufficient for the man of God unless he further reaches outside the written Word to the Living Word available to all believers in the form of the Spirit.
Source...